Every new years day (January 1) over 10 thousand people gather in St. Peter’s Square, filling the streets with pageantry and music, to celebrate and receive the Pope’s New Year’s Day blessing. A focal point of Rome’s holiday season and the World Day of Peace, the Rome New Year’s Parade celebrates life, cultural diversity and international goodwill.

The Rome New Year’s Parade is a European-style parade in conjunction with the World Day of Peace. The route ends in St. Peter’s Square, where over 100,000 people from all over the world gather to hear the Pope’s annual New Year’s blessing. After the blessing, bands have a stationary performance for the enormous crowds in the square. The parade takes place annually on New Year’s Day.

Participants in the parade include marching bands, as well as military, civic and auxiliary units, the parade takes place annually on New Year’s Day. Watch for the live streaming coverage The Rome New Year’s Parade Jan. 1, 2017 @ Rome, Italy.